Electric meter



Nov. 28, 1933.

H. F. WILLIS, JR

ELECTRIC METER Filed oct. 17, 1931 37 JMW mfmlillif.,.ff

ma, A

l MW

Patented Nov. 28, 1933 v I i UNITED STATES PATENT .Ol-"ITICE'..

. 1`,.937;451 l? l rimontareinterinaI Henry wiuis,-J1-., Carbondale, 111. Application october-17, 1 931.seria1 `Nt. 569,523

f Solanas.v `(c1. r11-268i This inventiony relates -to electrical measuring ordinary type of watt-hour meter the upperone u instruments and pertains particularly to an elec- .of these disks rotates between the polesV of a pair I .tricmeten :of permanent magnets which exerta drag on thev YThe primary object-of the present invention is Y,disk and thus control-the rotation .of :the same I j 5 fto provide a mechanism whichfis designed to be and the operation of the mechanism associated 30 used for registering the amountof currentflowing therewith and .the lower 'disk 3 forms a 'part of in two directions in a currentcarrying line, the a motorl whichy includes an .iron or 'steelring device being designed primarily for registering the locatedabove vthe diskV and a .pair l 'of electro'j- `amount of energy passing in "either `direction magnets disposed beneaththesame, whchmagf 10 through tie lines between generating units or nets receive current'from the line l:in which'i-the 65 plants orlines supplying the power to regenerative meter is placed. L f l. .p equipmentfor on locomotives where current flows 4In` :the present invention the shaft' 1 has in one direction while the motors are pulling'and mounted in vparallel relation thereto, in suitable is generated to flow in the opposite direction by bearings, a 5119it 4 Which CaleS theft/W0* Semi'- 1...5 the reversal of the motors when the engine is circular disks 5 and which overlap'for over-lie 70- allowed to coast down a grade, and in any other the adjacent disks 2 :and 3 and'eachof the V.disks capacities where it isdesirable that a record be 2. and 3 has associated'therewith" aperman'ent maintained of current passing in either direction magnet and an e1ect10magnet.f The permanent througha, 11119,. magnets'areindicated by the'numerals"7 .and8

2. A further object of therinvention is to provide and' the electro-'magnets A4are indicated by vthe 75 an velectric meter having two sets' of .gear trains, numer'als and 10and `asshown, thepermanent one for measuring incoming-'and Athe otherfor magnets'aredisposed-upon'the'sideswof'their re` measuring outgoing current, inwhich the shifting s'pective` disks 2- and `3. remote. from 'the J semiof certain partsl of the mechanism in accordance 1 circular disks 5 and 6, while the electro-magnets 25 with the direction of flow of the current is accomarelocated beneath the disksl 2 and. 3 at apoint 80' pushed-through the medium of plates: ordisks below-the semicircular`disks`5"and6 'so that the controlledinthe same mannerasthe usual driven latter disks will be influenced .'by. the 'electro'A Y 'and'drag disks of a meter ofordinary type. magnets butwill notbe effected by the perma- The present invention constitutes amodicanent ones.V 1` 2 f 3.0 `tion of thestructure shown in co-pendinglapplif .'The disks 5`5and'6 willbe referredto alsthe 85 n cation,Serial No. 569,522, filed ofevenldate here... Vcontrol disks and-'the Shaft 4.1111011 Which' thy with, u I are mounted will be referred to asthe control The invention will be best understoodffrom a Shaft.y lAtthe upper end/of the .Shaft-1 whichl 'consideration of the following detailed description may be referredzto 'as the operating:v or .driving 35 taken inconnection wth-theaccompanyingdraw.- shaft, vthere is mounted Ya. gear pinion -11 'and' 'at l'90' 'l ing forming part of this specicatiomwith the apointbelow this pinion there is mountedupon understanding, however, that the invention isnot a suitable; bearing 12, a'bar 13 'which is formed conned to any strict conformity with the showing to provide two angularly related portionsy 14Jand of the drawing-but may be changed or modified '15, the mounting .of Vthe -bar upon the .pivotf12 40 so long as such changes or modifications markno being .at the pointwoffconnection between` these 95 material departure from the salient features of portions.` Each'of theportions`14 and `15 'of :the the invention'as'expressed in the appended'claims. bar 13 carries a bearing 16 .and in these bearings In the drawingzi v y v*are stepped VVertical shafts 17 ar`1d`181whichA carry Figure l'is adiagrammatic perspective view of the. gears 19'l and 2O adjacent utheir lower ends f 45 the structure embodying the present invention; andfthe worms 21andj22 at their-upper ends. I '100VA Figure 2 is aview showingin plan the oscillating The gear-pinionll which is mounteduponthe l gear supporting bar and the relation'thereto. ofv operating orcontrolling shaft -1' is locatedpbethe solenoid control mechanism therefor,... :tween the gears 19and 20 sov thatfwhenoscillat- Referringnow more'particularly` to the draw.- ing the bar 13 inthe proper-gdirection one or-the 510 ing wherein-'like numeralsof reference indicate other `'ofthese gearsmayj bebroughtinto mesh .105

correspondinglparts'throughout the several views,V withthe-pinion 11.` Y, the present meter employs a' vertically disposed Each ofthe shafts .17 and 18 controls arregis` :disk shaft 1 which is mounted in suitablebearings tering mechanism Aor gear train, one of, whichis (not shown) and which carries a lpair of disks indicated bythenumeral 23 while theotherlis 11.5.5 -2 and' 3 which are of metal aluminum.' In the 4indicated b y the numeral- 245 and each vof these-lid Y cated generally by the numeral 34.

, :other thereof as one is l in the usual manner and which operate recording ngers upon registering dials 26. 'Ihe rst of the shafts 25 of each gear train is connected 'through the medium of a gear 27 with a pinion` 28 upon a shaft 29 which shaft also carries a gear 30 which is in turn connected with a shaft 31 through the medium of Va pinion 32 and this shaft 31 is connected by a gear 33 .with one of the worms 21 or 22. n d

v Mounted in any suitable manner in the plane of the bar 13 is a double solenoid .which is indi- Thissole.- noid'has the two coils 35 and 36 through which Works the core 3'7V to one end of which is lattached the arm 38. The outer end of this arm 38 is pivotally'connected with the portion l5 of the bar 13 so that when the core 3'7 is shifted the bar 13 will be oscillated to move the gears 19 yand 20 relative. to'theworm 11. Y The coils 35 and 36.0f`the double solenoid are spacedapart soi-that the Acore may be drawnfrom one to the. n energized and the other is deenergized. x Disposed, adjacent the shaft 4 is a pair ofcon- .tacts each of which is indicated by the numeral 39 and, carriedby this shaft is an arm 40 which Vis permanently in engagement with one of these rcontacts. and each of these contacts-39 has one end of one of the coils -36connected therewith. The arm 40 is connected with anelectric wire y4l which leads from the current line in which the .meter is mounted.

The bar 13 is'secured in either of the two positions to whichit. may be moved by means of a holding device which is. indicated 'generally .by the numeral `42. vThis devi'cecomprises a pair` of link members each of .which is indicated by the numeral. 43, which are arranged to extend trans- "-versely of the arm'38. and have their adjacent ends slidably secured to the arm as indicated at 44. .Theother or outer end ofeach of these links ispivotally mounted in `anysu'itable"manner as indicated at and the links are connected together between points located substantiallymidway betweenptheir ends, by a springf46.. VIt will Ythus'beseen that the links-are permanently secured in angularly related condition by the spring which connects them together and-the spring thusholds the arm rmly extended or retracted as,` the case may be.V One of the arms'43 .is located between'la` pair ,-of electriccontacts 47 to leach of which is connected the other end of a .coil of thesolenoid 34 and'this armhas perma- Y nentlyfattached thereto the terminal of a 'Wire 48 which joins the circuit is connected.

`It will thus be seen that twoV switches control with which the wire 41 rthecoils of the solenoid 34:-a`nd the current operating. either of these coils passes from the link '43. of the solenoid arm holding device, .through one of the contacts 47 to a coil and from this coil 'to one of the contacts 39 through which it flows to -thearm V40 and to the'wire 4l th'L'is-completing the-fc'ircuitY for the energization of the coil. i In the operation of the present meter the disks v5 and 6, whichfare limited in their rotary or' oscililatory movement by suitably positioned stop pins 49,-fcon`trol the solenoid'coils V35 and '36v through the swinging of the switch arm 40 from'onecontact-39 to the" other when the direction of current flow throughthe electro-rnag'netV 9 and l0 changes.- AInthis way therlarm 38 is shifted to `oscillate the bar 13 'and thus move the gears 19 ktrical element in accordance with andA 20 relative to the pinion 11, onegear beingA connected with the pinion, while the other is disengaged therefrom. With the parts in the position at present shown, should the current flow through the electro-magnets 9 and 10 change its direction so as to cause the disks 5 and 6 to swing around in a counter-clockwise direction, the

switch arm 40 will come 'into contact with the Contact point 39 which is at present unengaged and current will then flow through the line 4l-to the coil 35 and from this coil through the Yarm 43 to the -line 48 thus energizing the coil 35 and causing the gear 3'7 to be drawn inwardly, thereby shiftingthe gear controlling knuckle 42 so as to oscillate the gear 19 into engagement with the pinion 11 Iand remove the gear 20 from engagement therewith. l y I This will couple the registering mechanism 23 with the shaft '7 and uncouple the mechanism 24 from this shaft. d

, Having thus described the invention, what is rregistering mechanisms, a rotary disk carrying shaft, electric means forrotating said disk and shaft .in either direction, means for selectively operatively coupling said shaft with saidmechanisms accordingto the direction of current iiow through said electric "operating means, `an electrically operated element Vconnected withjsaid selective Acoupling means for theoperation) of the lsame, and Ameans controlled by said 'disk .con-

trolling electrical element for actuating said electhe,'dir,ection of current now. through the meter.v

3. An electric meter for measuring current vflow in twofdirections, comprising a pair -of electric registering .mechanisms ja ldisk carrying. fshaft,

`electro-magnetic means for rotating said disk and shaft in either direction according to the direction of current flow therethrough, 'avgearcarried by the shaft', apa'ir of gear elementssupporting means for. said elements whereby eithermay be 'liao moved linto engagement with said gear, a two y coil solenoid having connection with said supporting means for shifting either of said elements yinto engagement with the gear, and means'controlled by the current flowing through said electro-magnet elements, forVV energizing l saijd coils in accordance withthe direction of currenty fiow Vthrough the electro-magnet elements.v

4. `vAn electricmeter forfmeasuring current flow L in two directions, comprising apair'of register- Ving mechanisms,`A arotatableV disk carrying. shaft, .electric means controlling the rotation `of said disk and shaft,-a gear elementwcarriedljby ythe 1 shaft, an oscillatable membermounted adjacent said shaft, a pairof gear carryingshafts carried by said member, Vsaidgrnember upon oscillation in one direction bringing one oi. the Ygears of the `supporting shaft in vcor'mection withthe rst mentioned gear, said gear carrying shafts each being coupled with a registering mechanism,

Tris

a second disk carrying shaft having the disk thereof overlying the disk of the rst shaft and controlled by the electric element controlling the first disk, said second disk having limited rotary movement, a two coil' solenoid, an armature adapted to be attracted by either of said coils and having connection With said oscillatable supporting element, and a switch element controlled by said second disk carrying shaft for controlling the energization of said coils. l

5. An electric meter for measuring current now in two directions, comprising a pair of registering mechanisms, a rotatable disk carrying shaft, electric means controlling the rotation of said disk and shaft, a gear elementcarried by the shaft, an oscillatable member mounted ad# jacent said shaft, a pair of gear carrying shafts carried by said member, said member upon oscillation in one direction bringing one of the gears of the supporting shaft in connection with the flrst mentioned gear, said gear carrying shafts each being coupled with a registering mechanism, a second Adisk carrying shaft having the disk thereof overlying the disk of the first shaft and controlled by the electric element controlling the iirst disk, said second disk having limited rotary movement, a two coil solenoid, an` armature adapted to be attracted by either of said coils and having connection with said oscillatable supporting element, a switch element controlled by said second disk carrying shaft for `controlling the energization of said coils, and resilient means associated with said solenoid core for holdingV thel same in either of the two positions to which it v` may be moved.

` HENRY F. WILLIS, JR.; 

